Last year’s World Series MVP Freddie Freeman (36, Los Angeles Dodgers) has ultimately been placed on the injured list. Known as the 'Iron King,' who rarely gets injured, he hurt his ankle after slipping while getting into a bathtub. It is an absurd injury, but he was fortunate that it did not result in more serious consequences.
On the 4th (Korea time), the Dodgers placed Freeman on the 10-day injured list due to a right ankle sprain. This is retroactively effective as of the 1st, and it has been 8 years since Freeman last appeared on the injured list, when he suffered a left wrist fracture from a hit-by-pitch during his time with the Atlanta Braves in May 2017.
From 2018 to last year, Freeman played 1,006 games and missed only 16. With his thorough self-management and professionalism, he was always in the starting lineup, but this year he missed the first two games of the MLB World Tour Tokyo Series due to left rib pain, and now an ankle sprain has led to him missing 5 games already.
This injury is a continuation of the injury he suffered late last season. The incident occurred on Sept. 27 during a game against the San Diego Padres, when he twisted his right ankle while running to first base after hitting a ground ball to second base in the seventh inning. He was diagnosed with a minimum of 4 weeks required for recovery, but he insisted on participating in the postseason, hitting home runs in 4 consecutive games, including a walk-off grand slam in Game 1 of the World Series, to lead the Dodgers to victory.
After undergoing surgery to remove debris from his right ankle after the season and rehabilitating, Freeman was reinserted into games starting from spring training, but he required about 50 minutes of physical therapy and taping before games, indicating he needed ongoing management throughout the season. However, over the past weekend, he slipped while getting into the bathtub at home to shower, aggravating his ankle condition and landing on the injured list. He will also miss the six-game eastern road trip against Philadelphia and Washington.
While it was an absurd injury, it was fortunate that it didn't result in more serious consequences. According to 'The Athletic,' Freeman attempted to use a different bathroom with a shower combined with a bathtub due to a leak in the bathtub he usually uses at home. However, he lost his balance while stepping on the edge of the bathtub and fell.
Freeman said, "The moment I stepped down, I slipped and fell. It was truly a bizarre incident. It was something unimaginable," noting, "It could have been worse because it was a glass door. I could have injured my head or other parts. I feel fortunate that I sustained only a minor injury to my ankle."
Although Freeman is out, the Dodgers are riding an eight-game winning streak to start the season. They set a record for the most consecutive opening wins for the reigning World Series champions. Kiké Hernández, filling Freeman's spot at first base, has struggled with a batting average of .105 (2 hits in 19 at-bats), 2 home runs, and 4 RBIs with an OPS of .521, but the remaining hitters, including Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Tommy Edman, Will Smith, and Michael Conforto, have helped the team forget about the losses. Thanks to this, Freeman also gains time to recover his ankle condition without rushing.
[OSEN]
[OSEN]